


Teenage Wasteland

by lesbianscullies



Series: X-Files Childhood Friends AU [2]
Category: The X-Files
Genre: Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Childhood Friends AU, Gen, movie mac marathon! movie mac marathon! ideal date is watching elvira and mulder knows it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:28:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26973670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lesbianscullies/pseuds/lesbianscullies
Summary: Mulder and Scully's prom night
Relationships: Fox Mulder & Dana Scully
Series: X-Files Childhood Friends AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1968421
Comments: 3
Kudos: 10





	Teenage Wasteland

**Author's Note:**

> I originally thought up this AU when I was like, 16 and ended up having to leave high school so I was weirdly obsessed with high school settings and figuring out some insane way to finish out my remaining year and a half. That was five or so years ago but this AU is really near and dear to my heart. I found it a couple weeks ago while clearing out my computer and I figured that maybe it should finally see light of day. Also, I took the title from an unreleased Lana del Rey song which is very on brand for my 16 year old self.
> 
> There's actually another half of this fic where they actually get ready for and go to the dance together but teen me was never very good at finishing things. If enough people want it, I'll finish and post it.

“I think you might be the only person I know who still has a VHS player. Even my great aunt got rid of hers a decade ago.” Scully gave Mulder an incredulous look, the same one she always gave when he was doing something absurd. “But Scully, there’s no better way to experience the joy of Movie Mac!” While their classmates were out smashing hotel rooms and getting plastered, the pair had a less exciting evening planned. Mulder reached to unhook his cummerbund and tossed it on the couch where Scully was sitting. “Who the hell had the bright idea to make these a thing? I look like an asshole,” he said as he unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt. “I hate this damn monkey suit!” Scully giggled. “You look nice! Very handsome. Dare I say you look less like an asshole than usual?” She laughed again and flashed him her smile, her beautiful, effervescent smile. She looked gorgeous in her dress, almost as if it’d been specially made for her. Flustered, he frantically shoved the VHS in the player and joined her on the pullout couch. “You know, Scully, you can use the blanket if you want.” The space heater didn’t do much service in heating up the basement, and Scully sat in the corner of the sofa pulling Mulder’s jacket tighter to her frame. She shook her head and scooted a bit closer to him to rest her head on his shoulder. The screen flickered as the voice of the Mistress of the Dark filled the room. 

Scully thought of all the parties she’d been invited to, all the slumber parties and hotel romps that girls in her class had planned and whispered about in the cafeteria. She thought about all the places she could have gone and all the things she could have done. She could have been puking her guts out in the bathroom of the high school quarterback or eating at Waffle House with some friends from her tennis team, could have been having a slumber party and doing face masks at Monica’s house with the popular girls. Instead, she was still in her prom dress curled up on a lumpy futon watching Elvira VHS tapes with Mulder. She thought about everywhere she could have gone but failed to think of anywhere else she’d rather be than sleepily watching TV in a freezing cold basement with him. “I’m going to make some popcorn. It’s the only proper way to enjoy The Thing With Two Heads.” He hated to stand up, hated to break contact with her, but he hadn’t eaten since they went to dinner together six hours ago, and he knew she’d be mad at him if he didn’t eat. Once he’d left the room, Scully made her way up the stairs to his bedroom. She dug around in his dresser until she found a sweatshirt and boxers she could borrow. It was big on her and a little worse for wear, but it was clean and bound to be infinitely more comfortable than her prom dress.

“Scully, you’re not gonna believe this!” Mulder said as he bounded down the stairs and into the basement, hands full of junk food. “Scully?” He found her curled up tightly, hugging his pillow, fast asleep, and still covered by his jacket. The perfect curls she’d had when the night began were now disheveled and framed her face beautifully as she slept. He noticed the absence of her dress. It would be pretty hard not to with its layers of red tulle taking up so much space all evening. After setting the copious amounts of junk on the coffee table, he reached over to wake her up. She stirred a bit before softly mumbling, “Mulder? Is that you?” “Sorry to disappoint,” he chuckled. She gave him a sleepy smile as she sat up. “You stole my shirt,” he noted, “Didn’t anyone ever teach you that it’s rude to go rooting around in other people’s drawers?” All she could muster was a soft, “Sorry,” as he sat down next to her and took off his button-up, leaving a bright white undershirt. “Did I miss anything good?” he asked. “If you did, I missed it too.” She moved to lay her head in his lap. “You can go to bed if you want. You know where my room is.” She was the only one who ever slept in his bed anymore. He'd been sleeping on the sofa bed in the basement since Samantha went missing. “I want to watch the movie,” she yawned as she shook her head ‘no.’

It was after 3:00 in the morning when Scully awoke, lifting her head from Mulder’s lap. The episode must’ve ended ages ago, and she noted that he'd turned off the TV. “Morning, sleepyhead,” he said between handfuls of Jujubes. He turned to face her. “Morticia, Vampira, or Elvira?” Scully gave him an inquisitive look in return. “Which one is your favorite? Morticia, Vampira, or Elvira? I guess I like Elvira best. I like her over the top demeanor and her huge hair, plus as a kid, I always wanted that sofa.” “Really, Mulder? It was her huge hair that got your attention?” He chuckled and gave her a genuine smile, one that reserved almost exclusively for her. “Okay, fine. Maybe it was something else too.” Scully playfully punched her friend in the shoulder. “I guess it would be Morticia for me.” She rubbed her eyes and pulled Mulder’s tuxedo jacket around her shoulders. “I liked watching her and Gomez.” Mulder stood up and motioned for her to do the same. “You know, Scully, if you’re sleepy you should get in bed,” he offered again.  
“I don’t feel like going all the way upstairs. My feet hurt from wearing those heels all night.”  
“I can sleep in there then. I’ll pull out the sofa bed for you and-“  
“You don’t like to sleep in your room. You haven’t slept in there in years, Mulder.”  
“It’s fine, Scully. Or I can go sleep in the recliner upstairs or, or I can get a sleeping bag and sleep on the floor. I think I still have one in a closet somewhere.”  
“That’s ridiculous, Mulder. You can’t sleep on the concrete floor in a sleeping bag or in a chair. Just share the bed with me. It’s big enough for both of us.”  
“Are you sure, Scully?”  
“Yeah, I’m sure. Just hurry up, I’m sleepy.”

She’d been so feisty earlier, rushing him out the door and bossing him around all night but now she could barely keep her eyes open. She always fell asleep first and he marveled at how someone so small could take up so much space in his bed. She exuded such confidence that he envied her. He wondered if she knew it. That was all he could think about as he slowly fell asleep with the knowledge that tomorrow, they would wake up and be together, just like they were supposed to be.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on tumblr dot hellscape @x-files1993


End file.
